Lock switch



H. w. HARTEL LOCK SWITCH july '29, 192%., 1,503,321

Filed June 22 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

H. W. HARTEL LOCK SWITCH Filed June 22,

w lm.. \K W\ 1 1+1 c Q WMQQ H. E K m E Patented duly 29, 1924.

HENRY W. HA RTEL, O'F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

LOCK. swrron.

Application filed June 22, 1921. Serial No. 479,539.

that type of electric'switches which include means for retaining the blade in the closed or thrown position, means also being provlded for releasing the said blade from the locking means when it is desired to open the switc The object of my invention is to provide a locking device which combines efficiency of operation, extreme simplicity and low cost of manufacture, and which is capable of successful application to double as well as single throw switches.

The. invention will be more readily understood by reference to the attached drawin s, in which:

igure 1, is a side elevation of a switch structure equipped with my locking device; Fig. 2, is a fragmentary side elevation of one end of the switch, enlarged to show the l details of the locking device;

Fig. 3, is a fragmentary perspective of the end of the switch blade and of the releasing element carried thereby;

F ig. 4, is a fragmentary perspectlve of one of the fixed elements of the switch-and of the locking elements;

Fig. 5, is a'fragmentary side elevation illustrating a modification of my locking de- V106 Fig. 6, is an end view of the said modi- Fig. 7, is a plan view of that portion of the device illustrated in Fig. 5, and

Fig. 8, isa section taken on the line 8-8, Fig. 5.

In Fig. 1, I have illustrated a well known type. of double throw switch comprising a base 1, to one side of which are suitably secured, respectively at the center and at each end, three fixed switch elements 2, 3 and 4, the said intermediate element 3 having pivotally secured thereto a blade 5 which is adapted in the extreme positions thereof, one of which positions it occupies in Fig. 1, to engage respectively the said fixed elements. 2 and 4.

Secured to the base 1 in suitable manner, outwardly of each of the elements 2 and 4,

is a locking member 6, said members each comprising in-the present instance a pair of spaced resilient elements 7, 7, disposed substantially perpendicularly to. the plane of the base, and having their outer portions 8 offset, in the present instance outwardly, from the under portions and turned inwardly at the top toward the respective switch elements 2 and 4, said elements being flexible in a direction parallel to the plane -of the face of said blade 5.

Extending through the outer end of the -blade 5 is a pin or dowel 9 which projects at each side beyond the face of the blade and which when the blade is thrown into engagement with either of the elements 2 or 4 is adapted to underlie the shoulders 10, 10, of the adjacent locking elements 7, which shoulders are formed by reason of the aforesaid ofi'set outer portions of the saidelements, whereby the blade is retained in engagement withthe switch element until such time as the said elements 7 are flexed inwardly to release the dowel. As the blade is moved toward its thrown position, the said dowel first meets the outer ends of the inturned upper portions of the locking elements 7, which elements by the continued movement of the blade are flexed inwardly until the dowel passes the lower end of the said offset upper portions of the locking elements, whereupon the latter spring out- Wardly to their normal. positions with the shoulders 10 overl ing the ends ofthe said dowel, thereby loc ing the switch blade in place. It will be noted that the blade does not come in contact with the retaining elements, the contact being confined entirely to the dowel, and that, furthermore, by employing in the locking device projections from the sides of the blade and intermediate the ends thereof, I am able 'to employ locking elements movable in the direction of the length of the blade for both locking and releasing operations, without increasing the overall length of the blade, this diforks and disposed one on each side of the dowel 9, a pair of pins or lugs, 14 and 15,

posltion, (see Fig. 2), but when the outer end of the said member is ulled downwardly or outwardly from t e base by force exerted thereon, it will be apparent that the said pins which rest against upper portions '8 of the elements 7' W111 move inwardly of the end of the blade and will thereby force the locking elementsvto the positlons shownin dotted. lines in- Fig. 2, whereby the said dowel is released and the blade left free to be pulled away from theelement 2 or 4, as the case may be, to openthe switch. In the present instance, I have shown the outer end of the said releasing member apertured for the reception of a hookor the like.

It is apparent that where a single throw switch is employed, but one of the pins 14, 15, will be required, but where a double throw switch is equipped with the device,- the two sets of pins are essential, since when the switch blade is in the thrown position, opposite to that shown in Fig. 1, the pins 14 will assume a position corresponding to thatof the pins 15' in said Fig. '1, and the pin '15 will then be the one actively employed in flexing the element 7 to release the blade. 7

In Figs; 5,6, 7 and 8, I have illustrated a modification of the device withinthe scope of theinvention. In this case the locking.

member 6* is of somewhat diflerent form from the locking member 6 of the previously described preferred form, the difl'erence residing principally in the fact that the resilient elements 7 7*, which extend upwardly one on each side of the blade or of the path .away from the faces of the blade instead of as in the previously described form in a di-' rection parallel to the planes of said faces. 'Also the said resilient elements insteadof being provided with shoulders for engagement of the ends of said dowel 9 are apertured, the said ends of the dowel being adapted to enter the apertures designated in the drawings by the reference numeral 10 and'thereby to be retained.

mounted upon the dowel 9* in the same manner as the previously described and corresponding releasing element 13, is of some-' what difl'erent form than the releasing element 13, there being instead ofthe projecting elements 14 and 15, suitable enlargements or projections 14", 14", one at each. side of the said releasing element which, by=engagement with suitably formed surfaces of the elements 7, are adapted under .certain circumstances to force the said elements 7 away from each other to the extent that the ends of the dowel 9 are cleared by the said elements and the blade 5 released. The construction bymeans of which this effect is accomplished is most clearly shown in the drawings, the outer edges of the said elements'7 7 being flared outwardly and shaped to form pockets 15, 15, are,-when the blade is in the locked position, occupied so that the owel is released, as in the manner previously described, thereby permit ting withdrawal of the blade 5 'from the switch element 2*.

The outer ends 8, 8 of'the elements 7 are flared outwardly away from each other and are so' disposed thatas the blade 5 is moved into engagement with the switch element 2, the said outer ends are engaged by the ends of the dowel 9, and as the inward movement of the blade continues, are spread apart thereby until the said ends of the dowel 9 are advanced into a position opposite said a pertures 10, whereupon the ele ments 7, spring together and securely lock the blade 1n position.

The device in either form is an extremely simpleione, can be manufactured at a very low cost, is thoroughly efiicientin operation, and has theadvantage of being applicable without change or variation to both single nrdouble throw switches.

p I claim:

1. In an electric switch, the combination with a' relatively fixed element, of a movable element adapted to be shifted into and out of engagement therewith, a projection upon said movable element, a relatively fixed locking member including movable means for engaging and retaining said projection when the said movable element is shifted into engagement with the said fixed element,

and means mounted uponthe said projection for shifting said retaining means to release the projection.

2. In an .electric switch, the combination with a relatively fixed element, of a movable elementladapted to be shifted into and out' of engagement therewith, a projection uponv said movable element, a relatively fixed locking member including means movable 111 a direction parallel to the plane'ofsaid movable elementfor engaging and retaining said projection when the said movable element s shifted into engagement with the said fixed element, and means mounted upon when the said movable element is shifted into engagement with the said fixed ele ment, and means mounted upon the said projection for flexing the resilient retaining means to release the said projection.

4. In an electric switch, the combination with a relatively fixed element, of a movable blade adapted to be shifted into and out of engagement therewith, a projection intermediate ,the extremities of the blade and extending outwardly from the face thereof, a relatively fixed locking member including movable means for engaging and retaining said projection when the blade is, shifted into engagement with the said fixed element, and a releasing element mounted upon the projection and adapted to engage and shift the said retaining means to release the projection.

v5. In an electric switch, the combination with a relatively fixed element, of a movable blade adapted to be shifted into and out of engagement therewith, a dowel fixed in said blade intermediate the extremities and projecting from the face thereof, a relatively fixed locking member including movable means for engaging and retaining the dowel when the blade is shifted into engagement with the said fixed element, and anelement pivotally mounted upon the dowel and adapted to engage and shift the said retaining means to release the said projection.

6. in an electric switch, the-combination with a relatively fixed element, of a movable blade adapted to be shifted into and out of engagement therewith, a relatively fixed member disposed adjacent the face and intermediate the extremities of the blade when the latter lies in engagement with the said fixed element and including a movable locking element, a projection from the said adjacent face cooperating with said movable locking element whereby the projection may with a relatively fixed terminal, of'a blade adapted to be shifted'into' and out of engagement therewith, a relatively fixed lockmg member comprising a pair of movable elements adapted when the blade engages 'the terminal to lie one on each side of said blade, projections at'the sides of the blade cooperating with said movable locking ele- .ments whereby the projections are retained by. said locking elements, and means carried by the blade for shifting said elements to release the said projections.

8. In an electric switch, the combination with a base,'of a fixed terminal secured thereto, a blade pivotally mounted on said base and adapted to be shifted into and out of engagementvwith the terminal, a lateral projection on the side of said blade, a resil- I ient locking element extending outwardly from said base and disposed adjacent the side of the blade when the latter lies in engagement with the terminal, said element having a shoulder behind which the said projection is adapted to lie wliereby the said blade is locked in engagement with the terminal, and ,a releasing'element' pivoted to the blade and having a projection adapted when the said element is moved away from the base to engage the upper portion of said resilient element and to flex said element to shift the shoulder clear of said blade projection.

9. In with a base, of a fixed. terminal secured thereto, a blade pivotally mounted on said base and adapted to beshifted into and out of engagement with said terminal, a locking member secured to said base and comprising an electric switch,'the combination a pair ofresilient elements adapted to he one on eachside of said blade when the latter isin engagement with said terminal, a projection at each side of the blade adapted to vbe engaged by said resilient elements when are release member pivotally mounted on said projections and adapted when the said release element is moved away from the base to engage the said resilient elements and to flex said resilient elements to release the pins.-

10. lln an electric switch, the combination withabase,of a blade pivotally mounted intermediate theends of said base, a fixed terminal at each side of said base adapted to engage the blade in the respective extreme positions thereof, a member attached to the base adjacent each of said terminals and includmg a-movable locking element, a projection at the side of said blade adapted inthe sald extreme positions to be engaged and retained by the respective locking elements, and areleasing element pivotally secured to said blade and including a pair of spaced elev ments adapted respectively to engage and to shift the said locking elements to effect the release of said blade projection therefrom.

11. In an electric switch, the combination with a relatively fixed element, of a movable element adapted to be shifted into and out of engagement therewith, a projection upon said movable element, a relatively fixed locking member including resilient means for engaging and retaining said projection when the said movable element-is shifted into-engagement with the said fixed element,

said projection when the said movable ele-. ment is shifted into engagement with saidfixed element being adapted to engage and flex said resilient means to permit the said projection to move into the retainedposi tion, and thereafter to release the said resilient means to permit its returnto the nor-- malretaining position, andmeans carried by said movable switch element for flexing the resilient retaining means to release the sa d projection.

12.-In an electric switch, the combinationwith a relativel fixed element, of a movable element adapt'e to be shifted into and out of engagement therewith, a projection upon said movable element, a relatively fixed locking member. including means movable toward said movable element for engaging and retaining said projection when the said movable element is shifted into engagement with the said fixed element and movable away from said movable element when the latter is to be released, and means mounted upon't'he said projection for shifting the re-- t-aining means outwardly from the movable switch element to release the projection.

- 13. In an electric switch, the combination with a relatively fixed element, of a movable element adapted to be shifted into and out of engagement therewith, a transversely extending projection upon said movable element, a relatively fixed locking member includingmovable means for-engaging and retaining said projection when the said movable element is shifted into engagement with the said fixed element, and means pivotally' mounted upon said movable element for shiftin said retaining means to release the proj ection.

14. In combination, a stationary contact element, a co-acting movable contact element having transversely extending projections, means cooperating with said projections for releasably locking said movable contact member when the same is in engagement with said stationary contact member, and

being provided with a projection, means cooperating with said projection for releasably locking said movable contact member when the same is in engagement with one or the a other of said stationary contact members,

and meanspivotally mounted on said movable contact member having projecting means operable to release the locking means upon a movement of said pivotally mounted means.

- HENRY W. HTEL. 

